Ishq In The Air

•|Ahl-e-dil|• 10

One cup Flour

2 teaspoon Red chilli.

Salt as per the requirement.

Fariya frowned at the list. As per requirement? Why do they always leave it up to you as per requirement?

She had always messed up the salt in her dishes when she came across this statement. She had no idea how much as per requirement is required and hence her dishes are most probably extra salty.

"Salad is ready!" Zaid chirped from behind, holding the plate on his fingertips.

Fariya turned to him and glanced at his work. Zaid had not only cut the onions and Cucumbers In the right shape, he got the right grith too.

"Good. Now place it on the table. And you see these dishes? Arrange it too" She instructed her husband and went back to her cooking.

Praying that one teaspoon would be enough, Fariya added the salt to the pot and stirred it along with the mixtures. Dipping the bunch of freshly sliced onions into the batter, she pulled it out and slowly released it into the burning oil.

"Done!" Zaid announced excitedly. Fariya turned behind and glanced at the well-arranged table.

"Take this pot. And be careful, it's hot" She pointed towards the pot of rice and Zaid took a hesitant step forward.

"Zaid careful!" She shouted when he swayed a little holding the pot in his hands.

"Give it to me" She forwarded her hands and gripped the surface of the pot, immediately pulling her hands back when she realized it was taken right from the flames.

"I'll take it! Are you okay?!" Zaid gasped, looking at her red fingertips. Fariya didn't have time to react, she turned back to the induction and started adding more of the onions to the oil, frying them.

"Give me your hand!" Zaid appeared behind her, gripping the hand that held the large spatula in the pan.

"I'm okay, Zaid. It's just redness" She pulled her hands away from him and pulled the fried onion pakoras in the plate.

"Are you sure? Why do they look so red? Are you sure they aren't burnt?" Zaid's sole attention was on his wife, the delicious aroma of the pakoras not refraining from looking after his wife.

Fariya shook her head at her husband and turned off the stove.

"It's done" She informed him, making Zaid finally look up from her hands towards the plate.

"Oh, it is?" He peeked in to take a closer look.

"Don't come at me if the salt is too much" She warned him, walking inside the dining room, Zaid following closely.

"Don't worry, Apke haath ka zehr khaa sakte hai, ye khaari cheez kya hi hai iske saamne" He winked at his wife and Fariya fought the smile that threatened on her lips.

He wasn't lying.

Two days ago, Fariya tried the dum kheema and ended up adding extreme black pepper. Zaid didn't utter a word of complaint while he ate making Fariya extremely proud of herself. The happiness was short-lived when she tasted the food and ended up taking gulps of water. She didn't know why he would remain silent for so long.

The man didn't have the heart to tell her and snatch that proud smile lingering on her face for a moment.

"Itney cheesy lines keh keh kar kisi din mujhe dieting shuru karni padegi" She plopped the pakodi in her mouth and her mouth fell open.

"It's delicious!" She grabbed another one and gobbled on it, making Zaid stare at her for a moment. He slowly crawls his hand towards the bowl and tastes one.